Stupid question...how to attach finderscope?

[LoveFromGallifrey]

Genuinely one of the most stupid questions I have ever asked, but here goes. I have an Altair Starwave 102ED-r, and I was given an Altair 60mm finder/guidescope to go with it. Now, being completely new to telescopes, I'm being a bit thick and cannae figure out how to actually attach the thing to the main scope? 

[fifeskies]

Some photos may help

 

Bigger finders like the 60mm often are used piggyback style mounted on top of the tube rings

 

 

Edited November 10, 2020 by fifeskies

[Shimrod]

21 minutes ago, LoveFromGallifrey said:

Genuinely one of the most stupid questions I have ever asked, but here goes. I have an Altair Starwave 102ED-r, and I was given an Altair 60mm finder/guidescope to go with it. Now, being completely new to telescopes, I'm being a bit thick and cannae figure out how to actually attach the thing to the main scope? 

You may need to get one of these: Altair mounting shoe Unfortunately that shows as out of stock - I don't know whether others like this Baader mounting shoe (£24) will fit the curvature of the tube. Altair describe their one as 'universal' so you will likely be ok with the Baader version. FLO also have their own version, at half the price of the Baader FLO mounting shoe so less of a risk cost wise. A photo of the mounting bracket would be useful, but if it looks like one of theseAltair 60mm finderscope then my suggestions should be fine. 

Edited November 10, 2020 by Shimrod

[LoveFromGallifrey]

Hey Shimrod! So I have that Altair mounting shoe, I'm just a complete idiot - I'm struggling with how, or where, to fix that actual mounting shoe to the actual scope...

Told you it was a stupid question 🤣

Edited November 10, 2020 by LoveFromGallifrey

[LoveFromGallifrey]

Cheers fifeskies! Those all look great, but I don't think they are particularly what I am after 😅 at least, I don't *think* so - but I don't know anything, me, so I'm not exactly sure. 

This is my finderscope and the bracket on it is the bracket I have - https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/altair-10x60racii-finder-scope.html

Its meant to fit my scope, but I'm too busy having a dumb moment to figure out how. This is my scope -https://www.altairastro.com/starwave-102ed-r-fpl53-refractor-459-p.asp

[fozzybear]

3 minutes ago, LoveFromGallifrey said:

Cheers fifeskies! Those all look great, but I don't think they are particularly what I am after 😅 at least, I don't *think* so - but I don't know anything, me, so I'm not exactly sure. 

This is my finderscope and the bracket on it is the bracket I have - https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/altair-10x60racii-finder-scope.html

Its meant to fit my scope, but I'm too busy having a dumb moment to figure out how. This is my scope -https://www.altairastro.com/starwave-102ed-r-fpl53-refractor-459-p.asp

the finder bracket will fit onto the focuser section (Black section) their should be mounting screws holes  or screws already there at either 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock when looking at the focuser mounting from above. I have looked on their website but unable to find any info they state that a finder is capable of being mounted but no instructions on howto… (excuse my there or their hopeless now at English now) but you get my jist. Btw you may well need longer screws.

 

 

[fozzybear]

maybe fire of an email to AA as your scope is not a cheap one and if no instructions would they care to advice 

[fozzybear]

maybe this might help as to where the mounting bracket goes

https://www.altairastro.com/lightwave-refractor-finder-scope-bracket--rings-2511-p.asp

Edited November 10, 2020 by fozzybear

[LoveFromGallifrey]

Hi fozzybear, thanks for your help! I'm well and truly stuck, I think messaging them is probably the best idea...I feel like a right dumbo! I got the scope and finder as a package from them directly, so I did check if I needed any extras or whether everything would be in working order right off the bat, and the answer was yes...but, I'm clearly missing something obvious!

And I do believe it is definitely me af fault, being a complete newbie to anything other than the occasional glance through a friend's dob 🤣

[Pixies]

See these 2 small screws:

fit the bracket there using these slots:

 

et voila, something like:

 

 

[StevieDvd]

There are some other members with the same scope with the finderscope base fitted on the focuser, the web page for the scope also mentions the scope focuser has the connection point. They are usually filled with a screw rather than left open which causes the confusion. From the pictures I've seen the connections are at the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions.

Suggestion if you edit the title to include the scope as 102ED-R an owner of one might see the thread and respond.

[LoveFromGallifrey]

7 minutes ago, Pixies said:

See these 2 small screws:

fit the bracket there using these slots:

 

et voila, something like:

 

 

Thank you SO much! See, I knew I was just being silly! I've got it now. I kept looking at those screws and flapping, because I couldn't figure out why there were already screws there and I'm a worrier so I was scared of breaking something if I tried playing around with them. Thanks again! 

Edited November 10, 2020 by LoveFromGallifrey

[LoveFromGallifrey]

4 minutes ago, StevieDvd said:

There are some other members with the same scope with the finderscope base fitted on the focuser, the web page for the scope also mentions the scope focuser has the connection point. They are usually filled with a screw rather than left open which causes the confusion. From the pictures I've seen the connections are at the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions.

Suggestion if you edit the title to include the scope as 102ED-R an owner of one might see the thread and respond.

Cheers! Thanks to another person, I've got it now - I really was having a dumb moment and studiously ignoring that those 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock screws were actually what I needed to be looking at 🙄 kept looking at them thinking "but why are there already screws there, and if I touch them will I break anything?" 

[StevieDvd]

Not dumb. Some focuser used grub screws to fill the holes as it looks neater I think the ones with a head are a bit easier to identify but that could be based on my experience and not reality 🙄